East Africa

CAF Awards 2025: Somalia’s Omar Abdulkadir Artan named Best Male Referee Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was named CAF Best Male Referee for 2025 on Wednesday in Rabat, Morocco, underscoring a landmark year for officiating in the Horn of Africa. The honor was announced at the CAF Awards ceremony hosted at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University. Uganda’s Nabadda was also recognized, taking the CAF Best Female Referee award. The awards spotlight the continent’s top football officiating talent. Artan’s win highlights…

Kenya presses Tanzania over slain teacher; body still missing Kenya has escalated diplomatic pressure on Tanzania to account for the killing of Kenyan teacher John Ogutu in Dar es Salaam and to help locate his body. Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi told MPs the government has sought urgent action through formal channels and is providing consular support to the family. The case is the only reported Kenyan fatality linked to unrest that followed Tanzania’s October 29 presidential…

Historic Milestone: Cabo Verde, Mauritius, and Seychelles Eliminate Measles and Rubella In a landmark achievement for public health, Cabo Verde, Mauritius, and Seychelles have become the first sub-Saharan African countries to eliminate measles and rubella, a significant milestone verified by the African Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination. This accomplishment positions them among a select group of 94 and 133 countries globally that have successfully eradicated measles and rubella,…

Namibia’s plan to revive a flag carrier revives familiar risks — and questions The government of Namibia has moved from intention to action in its plan to relaunch a national airline, confirming a new state-owned entity — Namibia Air Pty Limited — and the appointment of an interim board. Works and transport minister Veikko Nekundi says market analysis, traffic forecasting and a business model are under way, and that the carrier could be operational in the next financial year. Opposition parties have urged caution, warning…

Somalia meet Bahrain in a timely test ahead of regional fixtures Somalia face Bahrain in a friendly on Monday at 6:30 p.m. local time at Bahrain National Stadium, a tune-up with immediate stakes for the hosts and long-term value for the visitors. The match arrives two days before Bahrain’s Arab Cup qualifier against Djibouti in Doha, and offers Somalia a rare window to build cohesion and benchmark progress. Both staff groups see the fixture as an examination as much as a contest. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Bahrain…

Peace Framework Signed in Qatar: A New Dawn for Eastern DR Congo? In a significant development, Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have entered into a peace framework in Qatar, amidst ongoing efforts to cease decades of conflict that have ravaged eastern DR Congo. This agreement, brokered with the involvement of international mediators, including the United States and the African Union, represents a glimmer of hope as both parties strive for stability in a region plagued…

Somalia says E-Visa has choked ISIS travel pipeline Somalia’s defense minister says a new national E-Visa system has sharply curtailed the movement of ISIS fighters into the country’s northeast, where the group has long maintained a foothold in the Calmiskaad mountains. Ahmed Moallin Fiqi said that since the digital visa rollout, no foreign ISIS members have entered Somalia to join militants in the remote range. The statement underscores Mogadishu’s bid to tighten border controls after years of porosity exploited by…

Aliko Dangote signs US$1 billion investment deal with Zimbabwe Aliko Dangote, widely regarded as Africa’s richest man, has signed a landmark US$1 billion investment agreement with the government of Zimbabwe, officials said, marking a significant vote of confidence in the country's economy under President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Deal scope and sectors According to the terms announced after a meeting between Dangote and President Mnangagwa, Dangote’s conglomerate will channel funds into cement manufacturing, power generation…

Students abducted, beaten and dumped 120km away — a fresh front in Zimbabwe’s political crackdown Two student activists from Chinhoyi University of Technology — Marlvin Saint Madanda and Lindon Zanga — were abducted in broad daylight during Students Representative Council (SRC) campaign activity and later found injured and incapacitated 120 kilometres away, in Shamva. The incident, condemned by opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, has reopened raw questions about the targeting of youth activists, the politicisation of campus…

Simandou Iron Ore Project: A New Era for Guinea In a significant development for West Africa's economic landscape, Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Guinea's military leader, Mamadou Doumbouya, have officially inaugurated the Simandou Iron Ore Project in Conakry. This historic project, often heralded as one of the largest mineral development initiatives globally, promises not only to reshape Guinea's economy but also to significantly influence the international iron ore market. A Long-Awaited Vision Decades in the making,…